For Billy Beane, career options coming into view

Published 3:29 pm, Monday, October 3, 2011

Photo: Ben Margot, AP

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ADVANCE FOR WEEKEND EDITIONS, OCT. 1-2 - FILE - In this Sept. 21, 2011, file phot, Oakland Athletics general manager Billy Beane ponders a question during a news conference in Oakland, Calif. You have to admire Beane, who, in a sport that resists change, used an overlooked statistic as a basis for building a winning team in a market where most would agree it was almost impossible. (AP Photo/Ben Margot, File)
Ran on: 10-04-2011
Billy Beane: Will Red Sox or Angels call?
Ran on: 10-04-2011
Billy Beane: Will Red Sox or Angels call? less

ADVANCE FOR WEEKEND EDITIONS, OCT. 1-2 - FILE - In this Sept. 21, 2011, file phot, Oakland Athletics general manager Billy Beane ponders a question during a news conference in Oakland, Calif. You have to admire ... more

Photo: Ben Margot, AP

For Billy Beane, career options coming into view

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San Francisco -- Billy Beane says he's staying in Oakland, that he's expecting to hear soon from Major League Baseball on the San Jose/stadium issue, and all of that sounds great - until it isn't.

What if no word is imminent, as a source close to MLB told The Chronicle? Or what if it's the worst possible news? Does Beane continue "rotting in baseball jail," as Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal described it so well? If Beane really wants to further his career, his options are growing by the day.

The departure of Angels general manager Tony Reagins presents a potentially intriguing option for Beane, who grew up in San Diego and loves the Southern California atmosphere. Mike Scioscia effectively runs that operation, and Beane isn't wild about headstrong managers, but they would form a potent combination - about as good as it gets - if Beane allowed Scioscia (and owner Arte Moreno) room for discussion.

This wouldn't be Lew Wolff's idea of fun, letting his general manager move south within the division, but the A's owner is on record saying he would "never inhibit anyone from bettering themselves" over contractual matters.

The plot thickens in Boston, meanwhile, sources claiming that GM Theo Epstein is seriously considering the Chicago Cubs' vacant job. And why wouldn't he? The Red Sox have grown stale, Epstein is an established New England legend after presiding over two world titles, and the Cubs present the biggest challenge in the game.

The Red Sox are big on statistical analysis - a stance old-school manager Terry Francona privately detested, before he departed last week - and if Epstein leaves, they'd be looking at two prime candidates: Beane and Tampa Bay's Andrew Friedman, said to be willing to move.

What happens in the coming weeks could shape the game's immediate future, with a long-lasting impact beyond measure. Even if the A's San Jose plans (still a pipedream) move forward, at least three years would pass before they actually played a game there. From this standpoint, "baseball jail" sounds like a rotten alternative.

Postseason notes

-- In a driving rainstorm at Yankee Stadium on Sunday night, water dripping down his sleeveless arms, Jose Valverde got the save for Detroit, then announced that the series was "over." Working the ninth inning at home Monday night, he blew a fastball past Derek Jeter to end the game. Valverde owns this series, and A.J. Burnett - symbol of the Yankees' flawed rotation - won't be able to reclaim it.

-- The Tigers' Justin Verlander threw a 101 mph fastball in the eighth inning, and TBS' Ron Darling said what many were thinking: "Not since Nolan Ryan have I seen anything like this - this late in the game."

-- If you're wondering about the Brewers' arms-outstretched gesture after a key hit (or throw, in Ryan Braun's case), they're in "beast mode." Prince Fielder stole it from one of his favorite movies, "Monsters, Inc." and it has become a symbol of the club's whimsical manner. "A team-camaraderie thing," Nyjer Morgan said.

-- Most of the big-payroll teams are set at first base and unwilling to spend crazily on a designated hitter, so you wonder: Why wouldn't Fielder stay in Milwaukee? It's an excellent team, he has iconic status, everything works. Ask Boston's Carl Crawford what it means to trade common sense (in his case, signing with the Angels) for money.

-- Among the issues revealed in Boston regarding the team's fractured clubhouse: Members of the rotation were drinking beer on days they weren't pitching. If that's a problem, just shut down the whole game. We're talking about grown men here.

-- One of the most ridiculous quotes of this or any other baseball season: Adrian Gonzalez claiming it was "God's will" that the Red Sox staged the biggest September collapse in history. He also claimed the Sox were damaged by playing too many Sunday night games on national television. Good grief. After that, Aubrey Huff sounds like General Patton.

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